Sleep disorders 'could flag up Parkinson's or dementia 15 years before they appear'

Sleep disorders 'could flag up Parkinson's or dementia 15 years before they appear'

SLEEP disorders could be an early warning sign for Parkinson's or dementia 15 years before they develop.

PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: 17:00, Mon, May 29, 2017

GETTY - STOCK PHOTO

Sleep disorders 'could flag up Parkinson's or dementia 15 years before they appear'

Researchers found that 80 per cent of those suffering Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep disorders during dreaming went on to develop neurological conditions.

Dr John Peever at the University of Toronto has found a certain area of the brain is responsible for dreaming and that troubles with normal dreaming may be an early warning sign for ailments such as Parkinson's Disease.

Dr Peever has found the cells responsible for the dream state, called REM-active neurons.More importantly, the team has learned how to control these cells in rodents and in the process, dreaming.

GETTY - STOCK PHOTO

The team has unveiled a link to a certain group of neurodegenerative diseases

Sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan on sleep struggles

Sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan joined Ruth and Eamonn on Monday's This Morning to discuss sleep struggles and night terrors.

Sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan joined This Morning hosts Ruth and Eamonn to give her advice to viewers who struggle every night to get the rest they need

"Our research suggests sleep disorders may be an early warning sign for diseases that may appear some 15 years later in life."

Dr Peever hopes his research may eventually lead to a neuroprotective strategy.

He added: "Much like we see in people prone to cancer, diagnosing REM disorders may allow us to provide individuals with preventative actions to keep them healthy long before they develop these more serious neurological conditions."

His results were presented at the 2017 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting, the annual meeting of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience - Association Canadienne des Neurosciences (CAN-ACN).